Today, the biggest question that haunts tutors and parents alike is probably - "How do I get my child to sit down and listen?" Getting and holding a child’s attention is next to impossible, which makes teaching them a Herculean task. So, what can we do to ease the burden? 

Well, your first glimmer of hope comes in the form of engagement - grabbing attention. This requires thinking creatively, instead of academically. Level up your teaching game, and make it more interactive.

It is completely normal for children to zone out during a lesson. However, this can adversely affect their learning process. This is why it is important to help them recover their ability to concentrate, which can be done through modifying the way you teach. The world is evolving, and our approach to education needs to evolve with it. Especially when it comes to primary education. 

We've curated some of the most effective teaching styles that work with a primary education student group. Let's take a look at five of these helpful tools -

1. Use Flashcards

Flashcards are one of the most effective tools that you can use while teaching. This is because they help practice information retrieval, thereby improving memory. It’s not just about making the children listen; they need to learn as well. With flashcards, they can quickly memorise facts and retain information in their memory for a long period. Go all out with the colors, glitter and stickers. If your flashcards look nice, then your students will probably look at them more often. You can also make them a tad more interactive with images or diagrams. Flashcards for primary students usually contain information on new words to boost vocabulary, names and easy concepts. 

2. Include Games

Children love games. There’s no denying it. So, why not include them while you teach? Games can easily stimulate a child’s mind, especially if it is prone to distraction. You can choose games like team building games and spelling or vocabulary review games. Through classroom games, educational material can be presented more interactively. 

3. Audiovisual Tools

Several studies have revealed that we rely heavily on our senses to process information when learning. This is why it is important to engage more than one sense, while teaching. One of the easiest ways to do this is through the use of audiovisual tools. These are classic tools that you can use to spark imagination and help children understand their concepts effortlessly. They include movies, stop-motion videos, pictures and anything with audio or visual content.

4. Roleplay

While teaching children, it is extremely important to help them step out of their comfort zones. Roleplay can help you do this better than any other tool. Next time you need to teach your students about World War II, ask them to enact certain scenes from the textbook. They might shuffle their feet and find it a bit awkward, but the novelty of the whole experience will help them retain information better. In addition to this, role play can also help encourage critical observation of the students and peers who are watching it. 

5. Brainstorming

Incorporating brainstorming sessions in classes is another great way to ensure creative outcomes from students. The best part about these sessions is that children are encouraged to fearlessly voice their thoughts and ideas without the fear of being judged. Ask the children to think of all the ideas related to a particular concept and write them down. This will stretch their thinking skills to the maximum, while also providing a host of information on that particular topic. 

As the saying goes, if a child cannot learn the way we teach, then maybe we should teach the way they learn. In primary school, childrens’ brains are still developing. This means you need to put in extra effort while teaching them. If you need any help with improving your teaching style, reach out to our experts for a consultation, and we’d be happy to help you out.